Stories About Envy

Read Stories About Envy Online

This collection of Stories About Envy highlights the negative consequences of jealousy and the harm it causes to both individuals and communities. Through a variety of characters and situations, these stories explore the destructive nature of envy and the lessons learned when it is allowed to take control.

Divine Rivalries

In Jupiter, Neptune, Minerva, and Momus, the gods argue over whose creation is best, leading to a dispute judged by Momus. When Momus criticizes all their works, Jupiter removes him from his position.

Animal Behavior

The The Goat and the Ass shows the consequences of envy when a Goat deceives an Ass into pretending to be sick, leading to the Ass injuring itself. The Goat pays the ultimate price for its deceit.

The The Fox and the Monkey tells of a jealous Fox who tricks a Monkey, elected King of the Beasts, into making a mistake that questions his leadership abilities. The Fox uses the Monkey’s envy-driven actions to further his own goals.

Jealous Relationships

Vasilisa The Beauty is a story of a girl mistreated by her envious stepfamily. Despite the hardships imposed by her stepmother, Vasilisa uses the help of a magical Doll to overcome challenges, ultimately leading to her reunion with her true love and triumph over her stepfamily.

In The Boy with the Moon on His Forehead, a king’s queens become envious of a poor woman’s daughter, who gives birth to twins. After a series of betrayals, the twins reveal their identities to the king, and justice is served against the queens.

Envy and Self-Reflection

The The Rose and the Amaranth features an Amaranth that envies the beauty of a Rose, only to be reminded that its own beauty is eternal, while the Rose’s will fade.

The The Vain Jackdaw And His Borrowed Feathers explores the story of a Jackdaw who envies the Peacocks and tries to imitate them, only to be rejected by both the Peacocks and his own kind, highlighting the futility of envy.

These stories demonstrate the consequences of envy, from personal downfall to social disruption, teaching the value of self-acceptance and the dangers of jealousy.